About Me

Welcome to my home design blog! My name is Audra Mehl and I am very excited you have stumbled upon my little corner of the internet where I share my love for making the world a prettier place. Wonderful to meet you!

By day, I work full time in the software industry and have had a 20 year career in enterprise technology consulting sales. When I am not in airports or conference rooms, I am tucked into my sunny home office working with customers in a virtual capacity, negotiating contracts and doing my best to impact the professional lives of my clients in a meaningful and valuable way.

Ok, so obviously I love love love decorating my home. But why a design blog? Can’t I just decorate away, why do I have to write about it on the internet?  Because, I firmly believe that all people have a creative aspect to their souls and that when we nurture that creativity our lives are more balanced, we feel more authentic . . . and happier. When we ignore it? We feel like something is missing. We can even feel sad and unfulfilled, but not really know why.

It is my hope that my sharing my creative side inspires you to nurture your own, whatever that may be. From cooking to photography to physical fitness or gardening, what’s your passion? Find it, nurture it and live the most authentic life you possibly can. After all, we only get one.

As for me, the root of my interest in interior decorating and design has always been a part of who I am, a piece of my heart. When I was as young as 8 years old it was not uncommon for my mom to come home and find her entire living room had been re-arranged in her brief absence. “I just thought the couch would be cozier at an angle.” She’d huff and puff her dismay but the one thing she never did do was undo what I had done. She always ended up liking my hostage taking design shenanigans. (A shelf in her kitchen still hangs in the exact place I decided it needed to go one boring afternoon in 1989 when she left me home alone with too much time on my hands and too many nails in the toolbox.)

And so it goes, I’ve been lifting and shifting my spaces ever since. From decorating my college dorm on a budget of exactly zero dollars to furnishing a barren first apartment with thrift store finds and Grandma’s cast off odd and ends, (I’ve got more uses for a doily than Aunt Myrtle ever imagined), I’ve been forever energized by the creative process and challenge of interior decorating and design.

 

My design journey to date includes decorating four homes of my own. I’ve documented my most recent stories here through numerous blog posts and photos chronicling the transformations I’ve tackled.

My current home is a really fun project because I am forcing character on a typical 1990’s four level split that was full of oak and brass when I purchased it.

Last but not least, from February 2017 to September 2018 I was the owner, designer and dreamer behind Grace 1972, a farmhouse chic shop where I gathered the work of local and national makers and artists.  I was often asked, “How can you work full time and own a store?” The full story about how this actually worked out is told in my blog post Welcome to ~ grace 1972 ~.  And of course, if you’re curious about the meaning behind the name of Grace 1972, you guessed it, I reveal the personal story behind it in Behind the Name ~ grace 1972.

On August 19, 2018, I announced the shift of my business from a retail boutique to a design services focus.  I closed my retail shop, Grace 1972, and re-branded my business Audra Mehl Design.

In conclusion, I am eternally fascinated by the energy that a well-designed space infuses into the atmosphere, for our homes are extensions of, well . . . us. They say who we are. Who we love. What we love. What is important to us. How we live.

If done well, our homes bring us comfort, peace and joy. They are the pillows we nap on, the blankets we crawl under, and the sofas we snuggle on and sip our peppermint tea.

So pull up a chair (angle it in the corner if you think it feels cozier?), pour yourself some tea (any flavor) and allow me to share some of my design adventures with you.

If we’re lucky inspiration (wrapped in a creatively placed doily or two) and friendship shall ensue.

Joy, Blessings & Peace, 

~Audra